Beneath Your Beautiful
by The-Lady-Isis
Summary: Set in the new DCU, establishing a little BMWW relationship that could work. It'll likely be my only foray into the New 52, as I hate it. But this multi-chapter songfic is up, and finished, and I hope you like it! Bruce/Diana, read and review!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is going to be a multi-chapter songfic, as it were. The song is **_**Beneath Your Beautiful, **_**by Labrinth ft. Emeli Sandé. It is just the most incredible, exquisite song, and I think fits Bruce and Diana perfectly – I'm aiming for about 1 chapter per verse/chorus. So read, listen, and enjoy! **

**Beneath Your Beautiful**

**Chapter One**

_You tell all the boys no,_

_Makes you feel good,_

_Yeah._

_I know you're out of my league,_

_But that won't scare me away, _

_Oh no,_

_You've carried on so long, _

_You couldn't stop if you tried it,_

_You've built your wall so high,_

_That no one could climb it,_

* * *

Diana hated being watched. After five years in the League, she knew watching, and knowing, was what Batman did. Words like 'contingency', 'insurance' and 'greater good' would be used if she confronted him about it. And the logical part of her agreed with his caution. Leaving beings like she and Kal unmonitored would be stupid. But still, she wished it was not so. Batman's reasons for watching them – though not Batman himself – had led her to break off her liaison with Kal. Had helped form her resolution. And really … she had felt no less lonely with him. What she had been missing wasn't someone like her; neither was he. What they'd been missing was _them_. Kal had disagreed, when she told him that. He would come around. He was too intelligent to miss the truth of her assessment. They did not belong, and belonging together would only exacerbate that. So now her next challenge was Batman. Was getting Batman to stop treating her (and Kal) as a threat.

Diana entered Gotham feeling justified. Batman did not like metas or outsiders in his city, and that was putting it mildly. But he had begun the intrusion, so she would merely bring it full circle.

The scream that sounded shattered no kind of peace; she flew through air that was thick with misery, grime, despair. The noises that surrounded her were like those in Metropolis: sirens, car horns, the chatter and hum of people. But Gotham had a deeper timbre. A more forbidding presence. She smiled a little at that thought. These cities' characteristics were reflected perfectly in their guardians.

The cry she had heard belonged to a woman, a cleaner who had been mopping the floor in a grocery store. She was now stock-still, her hands in the air. The owner was stood behind the counter, rapidly stuffing bundles of bills into a bag for the man with the shotgun. Landing outside, Diana decided to open the door rather than dive straight through the window. No point in making a mess. Well, more of a mess than was necessary. When she entered, the bell made a cheerful tinkling noise. Quite pleasant.

The robber did not to the smart thing. He did not leap over the counter, grab the shopkeeper and threaten to blow his head off. He didn't do the even smarter thing, which would have been to drop his weapon entirely and make a run for it. Instead, he immediately turned and fired. The scattershot ricocheted from Diana's Aegir bracers, hitting items on the shelves and exploding them.

"Get down," she ordered the two innocents.

They both dove for the floor. The robber kept firing. Diana advanced, deflecting every shot as he backed away. When they were face-to-face, she grabbed the barrel of the gun and harmlessly bent it upwards. His other hand came out, a shining knife in it. He slashed at her abdomen; she batted it harmlessly away, breaking his wrist in the process. Then she knocked him out, and he collapsed onto the tiled floor.

"It's safe."

They both got up, neither of them looking all that shaken. She suspected armed robberies were all too common in this place.

"Thank you, Wonder Woman."

"I would call the police, if I were you," she said, acknowledging the gratitude with a nod. In her peripheral vision, she saw a dark shape flit to the adjacent rooftop. "I must go."

She left the way she came, flew up, waited. From behind her, a voice spoke. "What do you want?"

"To talk."

"Then talk," he ordered, "and leave."

"Superman and I are – no longer together," she said, turning to him.

No reaction. Not hint of what he might have been thinking. He already knew.

"So I came here to inform you that your surveillance is no longer required. Whatever threat we presented has passed."

"Has it?" It wasn't a question she was expected to answer. It wasn't even a question at all. Simply an expression of scorn and disbelief, designed to provoke.

"Yes," she said firmly. "I realise, from your perspective, you've little reason to trust my word. We've been professional but never friends."

"I don't have friends."

"Perhaps you should start. From now on, I extend my friendship to you, Batman. I will keep no secrets."

"Do you expect me to offer the same courtesy?" he all-but-sneered.

"In time." She ignored the snort and continued. "For now I will settle for you stopping spying on me. And in return, I will leave now, and not re-enter Gotham without your permission."

She drifted off the edge of the rooftop, a few feet higher before his voice arrested her flight. "Why?"

She turned in mid-air. "Could you be more specific?"

"Why did you break it off?"

She could have told him it was none of his business. She could have told him it was an affair only of her heart. But no secrets. "You were right."

He was silent.

She elaborated. "Isolation drove us together. But it perpetuated itself. The closer we got to one another, the further we got from everyone else. It wasn't dangerous, but it might have been heading that way."

"Never took your for the cold-hearted type."

"I prefer to think of it as cool-headed. But … well, it's also hard to sustain a relationship with someone you are not particularly attracted to. Once the novelty wears off." She lifted her chin. "Satisfied?"

Slowly, he nodded once.

"Goodnight, Batman."

* * *

_But I'm gonna try,_

_Would you let me, _

_See beneath your beautiful?_

_Would you let me see beneath your perfect?_

_Take it off now girl,_

_Take it off now girl,_

_I wanna see inside,_

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful tonight?_

* * *

**A/N: Review please!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Someone mentioned spelling errors in a review - I went back and looked, and couldn't see any. I am British though, so it's possibly I've used the British spellings for some words.  
**

**Thank you for any and all reviews! Here's the second chapter. This whole thing is going to be quite brief, I should warn you.  
**

**Chapter Two  
**

_You let all the girls go,_

_Makes you feel good,_

_Don't it? _

_Behind your Broadway show,_

_I heard a boy say please,_

_Don't hurt me,_

_You've carried on so long,_

_You couldn't stop if you tried it,_

_You've built your wall so high,_

_That no one could climb it._

* * *

It took them both by surprise. In different ways, admittedly. Bruce had been entirely aware of her beauty and unconscious sensuality. He had analysed his attraction to her, mentally explored it, and dismissed it. Apparently.

Except today, that had been conclusively disproven. Victor Frieze had taken her hostage. There was only one way he could do that, of course, and Diana had been encased in a block of ice several metres thick. The feeling in Bruce's chest was a step between concern and fear for her safety. The reason for it was the rumour that the Amazons had possessed a magical, incredibly advanced healing device. Diana had no idea where it was. If it even existed at all.

Normally, Bruce had more time for Freeze than the others. Not today. Not with Diana at stake. Happily though he had chosen what he knew best, and was holed up inside an abandoned warehouse at the docks. Being in Gotham gave Bruce home advantage as well though, and meant he didn't have to involve the rest of the League. Not one of them was capable of enough subtlety to deal with Freeze. They had all acquiesced, even Superman. That had been more pleasing than Bruce cared to admit. There certainly still existed a deep friendship between the two of them, but it was free of its romantic element. Diana's predictions that Superman would accept it had been correct. Bruce had started listening to her from that day on.

This whole area was a sub-zero icebox, the cold striking at him even through the thermal coils that heated his suit. The warehouse was an old dry dock, long since flooded and frozen. The sea was still rippled with stationary waves, though Bruce knew the ice was far too thin to support his weight. Ahead was a metal bridge spanning the gap. It was thin. And had no rails. And looked rickety. And he did not need to be Batman to spot the pressure plates in it, just waiting to set off explosives and collapse the ceiling.

Pointing his grapple at the same ceiling, night vision easily picking out a suitable girder, Bruce swung out across the gap. It worked up to a point. And then the girder snapped, sending him plunging towards the barely-frozen sea. Reacting as quickly as his muscles would allow him to, he fired another piton at the bridge. It wrapped around it and held, missing the pressure plates.

"_I wouldn't try that again, Batman_," Freeze's voice came over the P.A. system. "_Those girders are old._"

So he was being watched as well. It had been stupid not to check before, and it was a mark that his mind was with his object, not the method of rescuing her. He looked around for CCTV now, and found six cameras. There were few blind spots. Then the bridge groaned, and lurched. His boots touched the iced foam of the nearest wave.

"_Although that doesn't seem to be entirely safe either, does it?_" Freeze mused. "_Do save yourself the bother, Batman. I only wish to converse with my guest._"

"Let her go, Victor," Batman growled.

That went unanswered, and the bridge groaned again, dropping another couple inches. A rivet broke off, dropping straight through the ice with barely a sound. It had to be paper-thin, and the water would be death. But he didn't have a choice. There was no way to span the gap without swimming – and he'd swim a lot better without a bridge on top of him. Mentally swearing, Bruce disconnected himself, and dropped like a stone. The water was so cold it felt like fire. Immediately, what little air he had in his lungs was constricted, made inadequate. It was black all around him, but he set off anyway, heading for the other side of the dock. There was just one problem, when he got there.

Mr Freeze had abandoned his 'guest' (which suggested a worrying level of confidence) and appeared, ice-gun in hand, pointed squarely at the water. As soon as Batman came up for much-needed air, he was going to be turned into a giant ice cube. On the other hand, he wasn't particularly safe in the water. Aside from hypothermia, drowning was a problem. Especially if Freeze – Damn. He was already doing it, solidifying the top metre of the water. No way Batman was physically breaking through that.

Satisfied he had effectively killed his foe, Freeze returned to the captive Wonder Woman.

Bruce's chest ached with the need for oxygen now. Knowing he had seconds, he pulled out an explosive charge and pinned it on the underside of the ice. Then it was a matter of swimming to a safe distance. The charge detonated, sending chunks of ice surfing through the water and sprays of ocean up through the hole. With his last reserves of energy, Batman launched himself upwards. He landed with all the grace of a beached whale, gasping for breath and still fighting the cold. But at least he _could_ gasp.

_Too close_, he thought_. Next time I'm investing in a re-breather._

As soon as he could stand again – though shivering violently – he followed Freeze. It wasn't difficult, though he approached from the upper floor, and kept to the shadows. There was a balcony from which he could observe the factory floor. Diana was indeed encased in ice, though she was conscious. He could see her teeth involuntarily chattering from here. The door Bruce would have used was booby-trapped. Freeze stood in front of Diana, pacing up and down.

"What are its other properties? What type of energy does it use? What is its power source?"

"I've told you I don't know. There are only so many times I can repeat that," she said.

"Your people had a mystical healing device for _centuries_. You cannot expect me to believe –"

"My people are _dead_," Diana snapped. "And I have _never _known of such a device. I understand your desperation, but the only beings with the power to do what you wish are the gods!"

"Do not attempt to distract me with fairy tales!"

"What you speak of is a fairy tale! I can promise you only one thing, regarding this healing ray."

"And what is that?"

"That if I ever find it, I will bring it to you. And you may heal your wife."

Whether he believed she was genuinely offering or incredulous at the lie, Freeze stopped, staring at her. Diana's eyes flickered up to Batman, once, for half a second. "You have my word, Freeze."

One batarang knocked the freeze-gun out of Victor's hand; a bolo trussed him up and toppled him to the ground. Before he could break loose, Batman swooped down, plunging a sedative into his neck.

When he was unconscious, Bamtan looked at Diana. "Are you hurt?"

"No. Uncomfortable, but not hurt."

He pulled out a laser cutter and began slicing through the ice. After a moment, there were enough fault lines in the block for Diana to break out.

She did so, hugging herself once free. She wasn't in her usual garb, instead wearing what was clearly a cocktail dress. Bruce let his eyes wander, appreciatively. It certainly covered more than what she normally wore did, but looked far sexier. The scarlet colour really suited her, and the 40s style of the dress worked to emphasise her hourglass figure. He tried not to follow the sweetheart neckline to its point. Pushing that away, he pulled out a silver foil blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Thank you."

"Where were you going? This isn't your usual style."

"Ambassador's reception in New York. I thought it was time I got out more," she said. "Serves me right, doesn't it? I feel so silly."

_Well you _look_ beautiful_, he thought, though he didn't voice it. Diana was looking at Freeze, her expression unreadable. "Diana?" He had never used her name before. It was always Wonder Woman. It caught her attention.

"Will he be alright?"

Batman nodded. "I gave him a tranquilliser. Good work, keeping his talking."

She stopped, looking shocked, and then hurt. "I wasn't only keeping him talking, Batman I meant it."

"You can't be serious."

"I am perfectly serious. If I find this healing ray, why wouldn't I help him?"

"Because he's criminally insane!"

She shook her head. "He's desperate. Everything he loves is gone, and what he wants is to bring it back. I understand that desire."

"You can't compare yourself to –"

"I can and I do," she countered. "There's a fine line between a good person and a desperate one."

"You've never been that desperate."

He might have said he saw tears glitter in her eyes. "Haven't I?"

"Diana –"

"Thank you for helping me, Batman."

He watched her go, flying through the skyline of his city, and felt he knew he better. And, really, felt himself in danger. Not physical danger. Just the danger of … getting too deep. Beauty had been now joined with the great compassion he had always thought her capable of. And her words had been interesting, moving even. The difference between a good person and a desperate one … was it really as simple as she claimed? Batman knew it wasn't. The world was arrayed in various shades of grey. And least his was. Was Diana's not? It was all too tempting. She was beautiful, brave, brilliant … on paper he would absolutely be able to resist her. In the flesh, he wanted to know her better. Which was surprising. And potentially, trouble. The Diana underneath the armour could easily get under _his_.

He touched his com-link. "Alfred. Do we have an invitation to the ambassador's reception in new York tonight?"

"_Yes, sir. In traditional fashion, no RSVP has been sent._"

"Good. Get my suit ready."

* * *

_But I'm gonna try,_

_Would you let me_

_See beneath your beautiful?_

_Would you let me see beneath your perfect?_

_Take it off now boy,_

_Take it off now boy,_

_I wanna see inside,_

_Would you let me see beneath your beautiful tonight?_

* * *

**A/N: Review please! **


	3. Chapter 3

__**A/N: Thank you for the reviews! And thank you to those people who pointed out my error with Mr Freeze - however that was his only appearance in this fic, and frankly it's a stupid change anyway. I'll be honest, I haven't been reading much of the new DCU, so please ignore any further mistakes you find :)  
**

**Chapter Three  
**

_I'm gonna climb atop your ivory tower,_

_I'll hold your hand,_

_And then we'll jump right out,_

_Falling, falling,_

_But that's okay,_

_I'll be right here_

* * *

Diana's hair had dried on the way to New York, and when she landed it had fallen into curling waves that irritated her momentarily – only momentarily. Appearances did not matter. She was a princess, and so she would behave as such. Albeit a princess dispossessed of a kingdom, a family and any royal connection whatsoever. And, well, if princess failed, there was always 'demigod'.

Her dress had survived the flight well, and the silk had only a few creases, which she ironed out, before heading into the ambassador's residence. The reception was being held for foreign dignitaries and American business leaders, a chance for the two to mingle and hopefully boost the economy. Diana's invitation had arrived a month or two ago, and she had decided to accept it. Wonder Woman might be liked and welcomed when she turned up to save the day, but the world still knew startlingly little about her. She knew not much more herself.

"Her Royal Highness, Diana of Themyscira!"

The ambassador, a woman named Frances Ward, came forward to shake her hand. "A pleasure, Your Highness."

"Just Diana is fine," she said, a little embarrassedly.

"Don't worry, you're not the only member of royalty here tonight. We have guests from the Thai noble family and the Saudi king sent two of his sons."

Diana smiled, appreciating the effort to relieve her awkwardness but not feeling the benefits of it. "Thank you. I was honoured to receive your invitation."

"I am equally honoured you have accepted it," Ward said, leading her into the main reception room, and over to a group of people far better dressed than Diana was. Obviously no stranger to integration, the ambassador helped ease Diana into the conversation and then excused herself to greet another guest. Diana glanced after her with admiration. Another guest caught the look and smiled too.

"She is good at that," he said.

"Yes. I was just thinking, very tactful."

"Not too tactful yourself?" he asked teasingly.

It was a rather informal tone to be using to someone he'd met only a few moments before, but Diana rather liked it. It helped relax her a little, even though his ease was obviously born of experience. She couldn't remember his name, despite it being less than five minutes since Ward had introduced them. An American businessman. Brian Something? "I'm not known for it," she admitted.

"Well neither am I, so you can expect blunt conversation from me."

"I welcome it."

The gleam in his blue eyes got more pronounced. "Do you? Alright – may I ask what brings you here tonight?"

"An invitation," she replied slyly.

There was a glimmer of surprise around his mouth when he grinned at her answer. He leaned in a little towards her. "Keep a secret? I just crashed the party."

"Is that a fact? I distinctly saw a rather burly doorman waiting by the entrance to _stop _party crashers." Not that he was unburly himself. Tall, broad, obviously well-muscled. "I own a fairly large company. And Fran is an old friend."

'Fran'? More and more surprising. "What is it your company does?"

"We specialise in cutting-edge technology. Healthcare, energy, consumer appliances …"

"Defence contracts?"

"No. No, we steer clear of them," he said firmly.

She liked that, even though war was _her_ business. "Sounds like you still have your fingers in a lot of pies." Now that _was _surprising, for her at least. Flirting was coming easily, and it didn't make her feel awkward. Not while he was flirting back.

"I like to keep myself occupied."

"Lead an active lifestyle."

"Exactly. Not as active as yours, perhaps."

A waiter came around with canapés; Diana and her companion each took a napkin and an hors d'oeuvre. "What is this?" she asked the waiter before he walked away.

"A blini topped with smoked salmon mousse and the finest beluga caviar, ma'am."

"An oldie but a goodie," her conversation partner said, before popping the whole thing into his mouth and chewing. He looked like he was enjoying it, but Diana couldn't do the same.

"I thought whaling was illegal," she frowned.

He echoed her expression. "I don't follow."

"Isn't beluga a type of whale?"

He laughed. "Oh! Well, yes, it is, but this is beluga caviar. Which judging by the look on your face you've never had before."

Unashamed by her ignorance, she admitted she hadn't.

"Allow me to educate you a little. Beluga caviar, while it may be named after the whale, has no relation to it. These come from sturgeon, a fish."

"I see. And which part of the fish are these?"

"Its eggs."

"_Eggs_? Why would you want to eat fish eggs?"

"Some people consider them a delicacy. And because of their volume they're often served to VIPs at functions such as this."

"Their value? Why, how much are they worth?"

"A small tin of this stuff? It'd probably set you back about five hundred dollars."

Diana's eyes widened. "That seems almost immoral."

"Perhaps it is. But I doubt you'd find many in here willing to agree with you."

"No caviar served at your functions then?"

"Very little. _My _functions are usually smaller."

"Quieter?"

"More intimate."

Before she could find out how far her boldness and daring were willing to take her, a waiter came around with glasses of fizz. "Champagne, Your Highness? Mr Wayne?"

Wayne! She remember the ambassador's introduction now. Bruce Wayne. It suited him better than Brian Something, she thought. They both took a glass, though once she had, Diana wished she hadn't. Her skin seemed to shrink back from the cold glass. She held the champagne flute by the stem, as it was the warmest part. To appear polite, she took a sip. The chilled liquid spread through her chest like a cascade of ice, and she shuddered.

Bruce Wayne picked up on it, eyeing her with curiosity and – concern? "Not a fan of bubbly?" he asked lightly.

"It's just a little … frosty, in temperature."

"Understandable, why you would feel that way."

The cold had not slowed her mind. The gasp caught in her throat as their eyes met and held. Any incredulity melted away within half a second. His gaze was steady, calm, but alive with intention. There was no attempt to deny it. Maybe he hadn't meant to tell her, but he wasn't taking it back now. Diana felt another shiver shoot through her, but this one was of mingled pleasure and shock. She could imagine no surer sign of friendship and trust than this.

By mutual agreement, they turned away from each other to strike up conversations with other people. Diana's heart pounded, and she was hyper-aware of every movement he made from that second on. She swung alternately between believing it with absolute seriousness and the ridiculousness of it. She never doubted it. When he felt, some forty minutes before she did, Diana found she wanted to call him back. And the half-glance he sent her way, almost like he couldn't help it, convinced her that he didn't want to go. That night, she thought constantly about why he had done it. He had no reason to. No bond of trust had needed to be engendered instantly. He was under no enchantment. They were not being attacked. Which left her with only one conclusion as to why he had done it: because he wanted to. And she was glad of it. There was a new thrill running down her spine, a new tingle of desire. His identity was enough for now, but it wouldn't always be. She already wanted more.

* * *

_I just wanna know,_

_Would you let me, _

_See beneath your beautiful?_

_Would you let me see beneath your perfect?_

_Take it off girl,_

_(Take it off now boy)_

_Take it off now girl,_

_(Take it off now boy)_

'_Cos I wanna see inside_

_Would you let me,_

_See beneath your beautiful tonight?_

* * *

**A/N:****Review please!**_**  
**_


End file.
